OPINION: Virtual Reality isn’t Quite Reality Yet

In 1968, the first ever virtual reality headset was created, sparking a revolution in the world of technology. VR technology, however, has not quite taken root in the world of technology.

Sure, you see people all over Youtube using headsets such as Oculus Rift, invented in 2012, for gaming, but it can’t be used for much else.

Considering the limited use, the VR market is just too limited to make the Oculus Rift worth the money. The headsets cost on average only $100, but in order to get a compatible computer, you’ll most likely need to pay at least $2,000, which I believe is way too expensive.

When Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion in March of 2014, many technology writers and fans spoke as if the VR industry would soon take off, but there have been no large results that make the investment seem worthwhile.

“I think they are cool and could have practical uses in health care and education, but they are just not quite at that point in development yet,” sophomore Samuel Burk said.

Another problem with VR is that it just doesn’t have a good market to appeal to. In the field of gaming, where it’s seen the most traction, there are only a handful of good games that apply to Virtual Reality. Some companies, such as Samsung and Google, have tailored VR headsets to work with smartphones rather than an outrageously expensive gaming computer or a console. Google also has a feature called Augmented Reality where one can use a phone screen to superimpose objects into someone’s point of view to make an experience feel more real.

Apple is rumored to have plans for a VR headset in the near future. As far as speculation goes, the headset will not be like the Samsung VR headset, in that the headset will have a built in computer rather than using your phone for it. Apple is also rumored to have plans for “Smart Glasses” which are a much lighter and thinner headset for AR, or Augmented Reality, which lets you project images onto whatever you are looking at. The AR headset will look more like a pair of glasses than the classic VR headset.

The future could have lots of potential for virtual reality, but for now, we are stuck mostly with the Oculus Rift. The HTC Vive, another headset, requires a computer and is mostly used for video gaming, but is not useful for anything else. Playstation has recently unveiled their VR headset. Also, there are a number of well reviewed titles for their VR, which makes it worth the buy if one is a fan of Playstation games.

The Playstation VR, like other headsets, is quite expensive, at over $200 on Amazon.com. Xbox does not have a VR headset, but is soon unveiling a new system called Windows Mixed Reality. Windows’ approach is a mixture of VR and AR, though it is not just for Xbox. It is more designed for computers, but is expected to be adapted soon for the Xbox One X. This headset is around the same price as the Playstation, at over $200.

Popular games on VR include titles such as Surgeon Simulator, Minecraft, Rick and Morty Simulator, and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. These games use VR headsets to make games feel more real and help the player experience the game better than just playing on computer or console. The limited selection of good VR games, though, forces players to replay the same games over and over again.

As far as the future of VR goes, it seems like we will just need to wait and see if the public’s interest in the industry grows. As of right now, virtual reality just isn’t a reality yet.